00270Guide to the David G. Burnet letters, 1836-1859Inventory prepared by Alan Bath 2006.Woodson Research CenterRice University, Houston, Texas02132007Finding aid encoded by Amanda Focke. 02132007Finding aid written in
English.
Descriptive Summary
Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston,
TexasBurnet, David Gouverneur,
1788-1870David G. Burnet letters1836-1859Materials are in English.MS 1881 lin. inch (1 folder)Letters to and from David Gouverneur
Burnet (1788-1870) of the Republic of Texas, in typescript form and as reprinted in the
La Grange Journal.
Biographical Note

David Gouverneur Burnet (1788-1870) was born in Newark, New Jersey. About 1817 he
moved to Natchitoches, Louisiana, and in 1831 to Texas. He was ad interim president
of the Republic of Texas from March 17 to October 22, 1836. In 1836 he was elected
vice president of the Republic of Texas, serving part time as secretary of state and
acting president.

Scope and Contents

Letters to and from David Gouverneur Burnet (1788-1870)of the Republic of Texas, in
printed and typescript form. The first series of these letters consists of
photocopies of newspaper clippings of the David G. Burnet letters as they appeared
in the

La Grange Journal. These letters date from
1836 to 1838 and appeared in the Journal between July
9,1936 and February 4, 1937. The letters were edited and annotated by Houston Wade.
Many were written to Colonel James Morgan and recount much military activity under
Burnet’s presidency. The second part of the collection consists of typed copies of
letters to and from members of the Burnet family. They are of a more personal nature
and discuss family matters and opinions on slavery and the Abolitionists. With these
is a letter to Houston Wade regarding the letters, and some of Wade’s notes about
them. Also included is a typed copy of Wade’s entry for the La Grange Journal from July 30, 1936.
Access Restrictions

This material is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish from the Burnet letters, MS 188, must be obtained from the
Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.